talesofbastionfandomcom-20200213-history
Prison Holodghast
Chilling - city slang indicating incarceration. The origin of this meaning can be traced to the Prison Holodghast, which was nicknamed Chills, after the practice of dipping the prisoners into the freezing water, became known to public. It is believed that the current Warden doesn't engage in such cruel methods of maintaining order, but the nature of Holodghast and closed-lipped guards prevents proper confirmation. Prison Holodghast is located on a half-island connected to the mainland by a fortified and well guarded isthmus. The close proximity to the land is misleading and led to many tragic escape attempts. Anyone who actually attempts to swim to freedom finds that Holodghast is secured by very powerful cold undercurrents. One of the popular stories is about a prisoner, more ox then man, making it to the shore, only to discover the currents have turned him half way and he actually returned to Holodghast. The prison guards are divided into common soldiers and Holodghast Sentinels. The latter are responsible for maintaining security in the Deep Chill facilities and guarding high risk prisoners. Generally the guards in the Holodghast are paid better than average wage, to ensure their loyalty and discreet conduct. It is a common practice for the Warden to provide additional wages out of his own pocket (usually replenished by generous bribes) to his chosen men, that in turn watch over and ensure the loyalty of the others. The Deep Chill dungeons is where the famous freezing baths took place. It is located below the level of the sea and rumors speak of a complicated mechanism that can flood the entire floors, at a turn of the Warden's Key. Such precautions may be wise, considering the nature of the prisoners at this level - rouge wizards, unnatural creatures, criminals renowned for their brutality and debauchery as well as people, who are considered threats to the country itself. The prison was originally a fortress that served to protect Bastion from the invasions. It served in defense of the port, and as a foothold of invasions. While extremely well defended from an outside attack, Holodghast has twice welcomed enemies of the Bastion, in both cases, when its Warder opened the gates to the invaders for a generous bribe. As the relations with neighboring nations have improved and wars became infrequent, the fortress changed its purpose. It's an obscure fact, that in the short time between Holdoghast serving as a military fortress and becoming the prison, it was briefly a home castle for a prominent noble family. Despite the protests of the parliament, the King has gifted it to an ancient bloodline that has always supported the throne. Unfortunately events didn't play well for this family, and in three years time none of their numbers remained among the living. Holodghast became the prison during the time of upheaval and chaos. It was used as a political prison to put the revolutionaries and nobles on the wrong side of the power struggle. The people of the high society, suddenly found themselves mixed with the common criminals from the city. The prison itself became a battlefield for survival. Eventually the situation has calmed down and many of the political prisoners were pardoned. The Holodghast's most notorious Warden was Samuel The Red, a powerful Enchanter, and secretly a potent Necromancer. He held great influence at the court at the time, by the virtue of selling immortality elixir to the royal family, as rumors have it. This was never confirmed, especially considering that a prime ingredient for the brew was elfish blood. Samuel the Red used his skills and connections to bolster the Holodghast's defenses against magical assault and designed a number of cells, specifically to hold powerful wizards and unnatural creatures. He also used the supply of prisoners to perform a number of magical experiments of very dark and disturbing nature. Samuel's dark deeds were eventually discovered and he was killed, after it was decided it was too dangerous to simply imprison him. It couldn't be argued that, the only facility in the land that could have securely held Samuel the Red, was also the one he designed. Holodghast has passed through the hands of several Warden, mostly corrupt and cruel men, who used their authority to line their pockets. The last in the line was so audacious in his mismanagement, that public resentment has finally alerted the crown, that situation required remedy. Jeremiah Winters was appointed as the Hologhast's Warden as a person only moderately corrupt and fairly discreet about it.